Geeky squee.

I remember when I bought my first iPod. I couldn't wait to have all my music in one spot and not have to lug around some dumb portable CD player ever again. I could wait, however, to rip the hundreds of CDs I had accumulated over the years. Ew.

After tackling 14 stacks of CDs, seven hours of monotonous iTunes babysitting, and going near-blind thanks to the constant flickering glow of my monitor, I had to put all these dumb things back into their jewel cases.

Why couldn't I just bribe someone with a bag of Cheetos to do this for me, I wondered.

Look no further, because I am about to do you a huge favor: www.riptopia.com

Yup. It may not be for a bag of puffy cheese snack goodness, but your time, vision, and sanity are well worth the expense.

For a $1.49 per CD, you can have each of your discs ripped at 192 kbps (That's a good thing, by the way...) complete with cover art, shipping and insurance. Your CDs and a DVD containing your newly ripped music is mailed back to you, ready for your iPod.

If you're really lazy, you can buy a preloaded iPod from Riptopia. They're Authorized Apple Resellers, so you know you're not getting some refurbished first generation brick back. It's just like buying a brand new one from the Apple Store, but all of your favorite songs are magically on it, right out of the box.

In other cool iPod news, ordering your iPod through Apple.com allows you to get free engraving and free shipping.

Squeeworthy engraving suggestions include:

- This iPod is filled with Squee!
- Warning: This iPod contains squee.
- I squee for music!
- I wish I paid a bag of Cheetos for this.

Geeky squee.

I have a very love/hate relationship with Apple.

I love them because they come up with great geekies goodies for me to buy. I hate them because they come up with great geekies goodies for me to buy...every two weeks.

Within the past year I have bought four iPods, a computer, a laptop, an iPod case, ear phones, speakers, and a Mighty Mouse. I can't stop. Let's not even talk about what I drop at the iTunes store every New Music Tuesday. (By my conservative estimation, I single-handedly employ one Apple employee.)

My Apple purchases would probably be cut in half if Steve would just not be so darn creative and stop coming up with new product announcements every time he sneezes.

Take, for instance, the new iPod Shuffle. I have a 512 MB Shuffle. It's awesome. I don't even use it, but I know it's still awesome...even while it sits unused. It's like playing Russian Roulette with my music playlist because there is no display. Let's also not forget it's the size of a stick of gum. ...And who doesn't like gum.

Apparently the bar for "Awesome" has been raised once again, because it was newly revamped this week:



The thing is the size of their banner ad!* There's nothing to hold or even place in a pocket! It just clips!

I'm waiting for the day when the iPod is the size of a postage stamp, and people start accidently licking them, adhering them to envelopes and mailing people playlists. I bet 39 cent stamps will be a non-issue THEN.

Do I want one? Yes. Do I need one? Not unless I'm trying to win a contest.

Also newly revamped for Fall 2006, the Nano.


They ressurected the fun from the now defunct Mini and brought color back. What JT did for sexy, Apple is doing for MP3 players.

Let's hope they don't take it back...again.




*I have NO idea if that's true. Humor me.